Midnight

27

N ightingale drove Jenny’s Audi back to her mews house in Chelsea. She didn’t say a word all the way home. Nightingale tried to get her to break her silence but the most he could get out of her was the occasional nod or shake of the head. He walked her to the door and waited until she unlocked it.

‘Jenny, I’m sorry,’ he said, handing her the car keys.

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ she said, refusing to look at him.

‘I shouldn’t have asked you to do it.’

She shrugged. ‘You couldn’t have done it on your own,’ she said. ‘One person can’t work a Ouija board.’

‘I had no idea it would turn out the way it did,’ he said.

‘I know that.’

She stepped across the threshold. For a moment Nightingale thought she was going to invite him in for coffee but then she shook her head and closed the door on him. Nightingale lit a cigarette. He blew a smoke ring up at the moon. He looked back at Jenny’s house and saw the bathroom light go on.

Nightingale smoked his cigarette. The bathroom light went off. He was just about to flick the butt away when his mobile rang. He looked at the display and smiled when he saw it was Jenny calling him.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked.

‘Loitering with no intent,’ he said.

‘There’s a pretty serious Neighbourhood Watch around here. If you’re not careful someone will call the police.’

‘I was just going.’

‘Everything’s all right, Jack,’ she said. ‘I’m fine.’

‘I really am sorry.’

‘You don’t have to keep saying that. Do you want me to call you a cab?’

Nightingale looked up at the bedroom windows but couldn’t see her. ‘I’m okay. I’ll pick up a black cab on the King’s Road. Look, I’ll swing by tomorrow morning, first thing.’

‘You don’t have to.’

‘I want to. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.’

‘Idiot.’

The line went dead. Nightingale saluted the bedroom windows, then turned and walked down the mews.